Chimaera birdwing  (Ornithoptera chimaera)

Species information

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Authentication

Authenticated (05/08/08) by John Tennent, Scientific Associate, Department of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, London.

Glossary

Metamorphosis: An abrupt physical change from the larval to the adult form.
Primary rainforest: Rainforest that has remained undisturbed for a long time and has reached a mature condition.
Pupa: An inactive stage in an insect's development when reorganisation takes place to create the adult form from the larval form. In butterflies the pupa is also called a chrysalis.
Pupate: The process of forming a pupa, the stage in an insect's development when huge changes occur that reorganise the larval form into the adult form. In butterflies the pupa is also called a chrysalis.
Subspecies: A population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species, but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species.

References

  1. IUCN Red List (July, 2008)
    http://www.iucnredlist.org
  2. CITES (May, 2005)
    http://www.cites.org
  3. Tennent, J. (2008) Pers. Comm.
  4. Matsuka, H. (2001) Natural History of the Birdwing Butterflies. Matsuka Shappan, Japan.
  5. Parsons, M.J. (1998) The Butterflies of Papua New Guinea: Their Systematics and Biology. Academic Press, London.
  6. Deslisle, G. (2004) A taxonomic revision of the “birdwing butterflies of paradise”, genus Ornithoptera based on the adult morphology (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). Lambillionea, 104 (4): 1 - 151.